When a life year costs $43k or $407,000, depending on the department

Health spending is always a hot political issue. (Image: NZME)

Wed, 14 May 2025

A report from economics consultancy Evaluate argues that different value-of-life figures across the Government are leading to an underinvestment in health.The report was released as part of a campaign advocating for the free vaccination of New Zealanders 65 years and older against Shingles and RSV, and it was commissioned by pharmaceutical firm GSK.Evaluate’s report said health academics commonly used a figure of $77,000 for a “Burden of Disease”, while Pharmac was said to use a $43,000 Quality-adjusted life year fig...

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